


Heartbeats

by inkberrry



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Time Skips, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-18 15:22:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13103028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkberrry/pseuds/inkberrry
Summary: Somewhere out there, someone’s heart was beating just for him.At least that’s what everyone believed. Asahi latched on to the idea from the start, yearning and waiting for the moment he’d look at his wrist and see it: the delicate lines, dark against his skin and drawing out the rhythm of his soulmate’s heart.





	Heartbeats

**Author's Note:**

> This is my gift fic for the 2017 asanoya secret santa on tumblr!

Somewhere out there, someone’s heart was beating just for him.  
  
At least that’s what everyone believed. Asahi latched on to the idea from the start, yearning and waiting for the moment he’d look at his wrist and see it: the delicate lines, dark against his skin and drawing out the rhythm of his soulmate’s heart.  
  
His parents had them, resting on both their left wrists. When he was too young to fully comprehend what the constantly shifting lines meant he’d sit and watch them for hours, holding his mothers wrist in one small hand and his fathers in the other. They didn’t match, but somehow even then Asahi knew they fit together in a deep and unexplainable way.  
  
As he grew older he understood more. The phenomenon was explained to him in parts, both by his parents and his own searching.  
  
When a person was born their heart linked with another. No one knew how, or why, but it was an indisputable truth of the world. One heart was incomplete on it’s own. As the child aged their heart’s bond grew stronger, bit by bit. No matter how far apart the pair was they remained linked, nothing short of death severing their ties.  
  
Eventually the two hearts connection to each other became so strong it would manifest physically on the person’s body. It would start faintly at first, just the silver of a faded scar on the inside of a wrist. Over time it would deepen until the lines were dark and bold, becoming a mark that would last the entirely of their life.  
  
The movements of the lines were no random pattern. They were the rise and fall of the real time rhythm of another heart. The heart of the person’s soulmate.

*****

By the time Asahi was ten his friends had already started to develop their marks. They would show off the vague lines and motions on their wrists, beaming with pride that there was someone in the world meant just for them. Bets were started on who would meet their soul mate first, and who would have have the prettiest partner.  
  
Asahi wore long sleeves even in the summer back then. He pulled his arms away when the other kids tried to see his wrists, avoiding the embarrassment of his unmarred skin. He read books at the library, searching for statistics of when soulmate marks appeared on children, on cases where people never developed them. Each day that passed with blank wrists left him deeper and deeper in despair.  
  
One night he stared at his wrist so long his eyes began to turn red around the rims, tears of strain mixed with grief pooling and finally falling. Loneliness threatened him, even at such a young age, and the anxiety of a life spent always on the outside of some large and wondrous secret.    
  
“Asahi.”  
  
The sound of his mother’s voice broke through to him and he looked away finally and to the door where she stood. She must have seen the tears on his cheeks and the way his body was hunched over, curled into itself. With a sweep of her dress she was sitting down next to him, wiping a tear from her son’s face.  
  
“What is it? What’s the matter?”  
  
Asahi sniffled and rubbed at his eyes, trying to hide the obvious tears. He wasn’t a baby anymore, he told himself again and again, he shouldn’t be crying in front of his mother.  
  
But he was, and he couldn’t stop.  
  
“I don’t have one,” he said, voice thick from the build up of phlegm in his throat and nose. “I don’t have a soulmate.”  
  
As if to prove his point as absolute truth he held his wrists up, both clear as the day he was born. His mother’s posture melted and she hugged him close, petting back loose strands of hair. She had been waiting for this day; she knew her son well, that his fragile heart would soon buckle under the stress of the unknown future before him.  
  
“Don’t be silly,” she said softly. “Of course you do. Everyone does. Yours is just waiting to surprise you. Just be patient.”  
  
Again Asahi sniffled, somewhat consoled by the words. He would think of them often in the coming months, trying to keep a small flame of optimism alive. It was difficult to be patient, though, when all he wished for was reassurance, just a small sign that he was not destined to be alone in this world, that his heart was strong enough to be meant for another.  
  
*****  
  
Three years later Asahi noticed the first mark on his wrist, barely visible but standing out like a vein of gold to his eyes. He sat down hard on the floor in front of his bed and stared at it, his eyes filling with tears that soon splashed down onto the hard wood beneath him.  
  
There _was_ someone for him. Someone whose heart was beating right now, who was maybe seeing Asahi’s heart for the time time, too. They were connected, as they always had been, but for the first time Asahi could feel the bond, tangible and warm.  
  
 He wiped his eyes, clearing them so he could see the faint mark better. It was likely just his imagination but he thought the lines were darker already, that the more he looked at it the clearer it became. With the thumb of his opposite hand he rubbed at his wrist, like smudging away a layer of dust that had settled.  
  
That day, and from then on, Asahi wore shirts that rolled up, ones that left his wrist exposed to the world.

 

* * *

 

 Asahi sat with his head down on the table, his arms folded in front of him. His body felt heavy, like the weight of the world had settled there and refused to budge. Somewhere deeper in the apartment the sound of music played, forgotten.

“Asahi, you can at least make room at the table for someone else. It’s not the end of the world.”

Lifting his head, Asahi caught Daichi’s eyes then hurriedly looked away. While they held sympathy he knew it was a thin facade, that behind it was a firm resolve to get Asahi to function properly again.

“It might be,” he mumbled, finally pulling away from the table’s surface and sitting up somewhat straight. A lock of hair, loose from his tie, fell limp across his cheek. He didn’t move to push it away, instead sighing and watching it flutter with his breath.

“Hey, he’s right. These things happen.”

Koushi, standing close to Asahi already, put a comforting hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

“So he wasn’t your soulmate. You had a nice time, right? You’re allowed to have nice times with people who aren’t your soulmate. They’re still out there.”

“They’re probably having nice times too,” Daichi added, his smile tight. “Nice times not stopping their roommates from eating breakfast.”

Asahi groaned, pushing farther away from the table. It was easy for Daichi and Koushi to talk like his recent dating disaster was no big deal; they had never had to deal with anything close to what he was. He’d met them in high school, now years ago, and they’d already known they were soulmates. Things progressed smoothly for them, their love as evident as the sun on a clear day. They didn’t have to worry like Asahi did.

“I’m sorry,” he said finally. “You two have breakfast together.”

The chair scraped against the linoleum floor as Asahi stood, drowning out for a moment the sound of music and Koushi’s soft sigh. Asahi headed towards the hall with dragged feet and slow steps, nodding his head when he heard Koushi’s concerned voice call after him.

“Asahi…take a shower okay?”

*****

It wasn’t the hot water that helped lift Asahi’s mood. It did feel nice, though, streaming down his back, rivulets forming along his thighs to meet at his feet. The tightness in his shoulders was relieved enough that he could hold himself up again, and the puffiness around his eyes diminished.

All of those sensations were good, but alone not enough to push away the ache in his chest. What did it, what always did it, was the movement on his wrist. As the water rushed over his body Asahi’s eyes settled on the mark on his skin. A wave of comfort came over him, his breathing evening and the squeezing around his heart caused by the previous night disappearing.

It was almost an instant cure, and one that Asahi had used many times over the last decade. In class when he was called on and didn’t know the answer, during exams at university, when someone he didn’t know started speaking to him. Anytime his chest constricted and his breathing felt strained, Asahi would look to his wrist and the steady and constant movement of lines would calm him. His breathing would match the movement of the lines, his heart steadying until its rhythm was one and the same.

He liked to believe during those times that his soulmate was watching his wrist as well. Whether that was true or not Asahi might never know, but it was another thing that soothed his mind. His soulmate was helping him through his life, even without being there.

But he would be there, someday. That’s what Koushi and Daichi and everyone close to him kept saying. Be patient, stay optimistic. Asahi was tired of getting hurt, though. He was tired of meeting people, falling half in love only to be let down in the end. His heart, beating its rhythm straight to his soulmates wrist, was beginning to drag.

Still in the shower, the water slowly losing heat, Asahi sighed. He lifted his head, just like before, and blinked the mixture of tears and water away. _Everything would be okay_ , he told himself. Ten years had passed since his mark first showed up. He had survived ten years of waiting and wishing. His soulmate had survived as well, and if he could do it, wherever he was, whatever trials he faced in his own life, Asahi could continue on.

He could be, he _had_ to be be, just as strong as his soulmate. Their hearts were meant for each other, after all.

His latest heartbreak wouldn’t stop him. The next time he felt something for someone, that flutter that started in his chest and soon spread to the tips of his fingers, he would stay calm. He wouldn’t ask to see the other person’s wrist, he wouldn’t take the first opportunity to lay his head against their chest and listen to their heart. Things would progress naturally, and maybe then, when he was least expecting it, his soulmate would find _him_.

 

* * *

 

 The scent of fresh mowed grass was strong in Yuu’s nose as he dove arms first towards the ground, just barely saving the airborne volleyball and sending it back towards the net. He hurried to regain his posture and hit it again, this time arching it clear across the field to where his friend was waiting.

“Nice one, Yuu!”

Across the net Ryuu walked to where the ball had eluded him and reached the ground, picking it up and giving it a small toss before catching it. He headed towards Yuu, stopping just in front of him.

“Thanks, man,” Yuu said, pushing a piece of hair out of his face as he took a few deep breaths and rested for a moment. He looked around as he did, enjoying the view. The local park in summer was the perfect place to brush up on his volleyball skills, complete with open fields and sections of deep shade. Best of all, when he took breaks from practicing he could sit and watch people walk along the paths that led through the park.

He turned back to Ryuu and reached for the ball, his wrist catching his eye as he did. The mark on it was moving quickly, the beating of his soulmates heart rapid and frantic.

“Whoa,” Ryuu said, looking down at Yuu’s wrist. “Are they okay?”

“Oh, yeah, that’s normal,” he answered with a shrug. “It’ll calm down in a few minutes. I think he’s got anxiety or something.”

By now Yuu was used to the hectic rhythm of his soulmates heart. At first, when he was young and didn’t understand, he worried over the health of his soulmate so much it sometimes made him sick. He couldn’t imagine why his mark spiked so suddenly, and why it happened almost every day. Time went on, though, and his soulmates heart never stopped. He learned to expect the rapid beating and not to stress over it too much. There wasn’t anything he could do then anyway. He’d just have to wait until they found each other and maybe then he’d help his soulmate steady his heart.

“Yeah? That’s gotta suck,” Ryuu said, taking his hand away from the ball and letting Yuu have it. “Hey, you think you’ll meet him soon?”

“I’m not worried,” Yuu said, unfazed by the sudden question. “I’ve got my whole life still.”

“You always gotta say something cool like that, huh?”

Yuu just grinned and jogged away, getting in position for Ryuu’s serve. He didn’t intend for what he said to sound cool, but if it did then that was all the better. He truly believed what he’d said; he had his whole life to find his soulmate and he didn’t mean to waste any of it worrying.

His attention snapped back to Ryuu as he got ready to serve, watching each of his movements with intense focus. When the ball vaulted into the air his eyes followed it, everything else around him fading away. His body moved instinctively after it, legs propelling him across the soft grass of the field.

“Noya, watch where-“

Ryuu’s words registered the instant before impact. Suddenly he was no longer running through empty space but into something; something solid yet soft that yielded to his momentum and crashed to the ground with him in tow.

Yuu scrambled to untangle his legs and get to his feet, looking down to see just what he’d run into.

“Oh shit,” he said reflexively. Below him was a man he judged to be roughly the same age as him, completely prone on the ground. A coffee cup lay next to him, the contents soaking into his clothes as Yuu watched. On the cup the name Asahi stood out in dark marker.

“I’m sorry! Hey, let me help you up.” Reaching down, Yuu caught sight of the mark on his wrist, the lines moving rapidly yet again. He shoved aside his slight worry, though, and grasped the man on the ground’s hand. Whatever was causing his soulmates heart to race could wait. First he needed to make sure he hadn’t just accidentally broken someone.

When Asahi grabbed his hand in return it was wet and warm, a remnant of the spilled drink, Yuu realized. It was large, too, almost engulfing his own. It wasn’t until he planted his feet into the dirt and pulled, helping Asahi to his feet, that he noticed the rest of his body fit his hands. Once standing, Yuu had to tilt his head up to see Asahi’s face clearly, whose expression read something along the lines of embarrassment and fear.

Snapping back into action, Yuu shook his head as if to clear it and let go of the hand in his.

“Are you hurt? You’re not burned are you?”

“Its- no, no I’m okay,” Asahi stammered, his voice low and deep. It seemed to fit his look, but not the words. “It’s okay.”

Yuu felt a wave of relief that he hadn’t done any lasting damage to the stranger, though the same couldn’t be said about his shirt. The dark stain of coffee was spreading, traveling from fiber to fiber.

“Hold on, hold on. I’ve got a towel. Stay here!”

Turning on his heel, Yuu dashed back to the net. As he ran he could just faintly hear a voice telling him he really didn’t need to go through the trouble. He would, of course. It wasn’t trouble to help out someone, especially when that someone turned out to be a tall, handsome man.

Once he’d grabbed a towel from his bag Yuu rushed back. He skidded to a stop in front of Asahi and immediately started to rub at the stain on his shirt.

“Here, let me just…” he started, looking up and smiling. His breath caught in his throat when he saw the deep blush on the man’s cheeks, extending all the way up to his ears. Realizing just how close he was, Yuu backed up and held out the towel in offering.  
  
“Oh, you’re probably embarrassed. You can do this yourself, huh?”

Asahi reached for the towel with his right hand, and as Yuu watched he saw the steady rhythm of the mark on his wrist. It looked familiar in a way he couldn’t place, stirring something inside of him.

“Ah, thank you. This is helping.”

Yuu looked up at the sound of the voice, pulling his eyes away from the mark. He grinned, already pushing aside the odd feeling and instead focusing on what was in front of him.

“Yeah, you’ll look great in no time,” he said, looking at the rapidly disappearing dark spot on Asahi’s shirt. He saw then how it clung to his body, his chest wide and, he imagined, firm. He had to resist the urge to reach out and give it a pat, and instead settled on introducing himself.

“I’m Yuu. Sorry for tackling you. But hey, you held up pretty solidly. You’re sturdy, aren’t you?”

The blush resurfaced on Asahi’s cheeks as he shook his head. He must have known, as he bent down to pick up the forgotten volleyball and hide his face in the process. When he straightened up the color had faded to a rosy pink, and he held out the ball with a hand that Yuu saw trembled slightly.

“No, well, I guess. Um. Your ball.”

Yuu reached out and took the ball, tucking it against his hip. He made no move to turn away, his practice with Ryuu long forgotten.

“Right! Thanks Asahi.”

“How,” Asahi said, eyes going wide. “Do we know each other? I’m so sorry I’ve forgot-“

“No, it’s on your cup,” Yuu interrupted with a laugh. He pointed to the cup on the ground, then reached down to pick it up. “And it’s super empty thanks to me. Let me buy you another one. Is it coffee? From across the street right?”

Yuu had spoken before he really considered what he was suggesting. He didn’t want Asahi to walk away yet, though. There was too strong of a pull towards this stranger, a force that Yuu couldn’t ignore. Had he looked down again, at both his wrist and Asahi’s, he might have noticed something strange, that both of their marks were beating out the same rhythm; quick and strong and perfectly in sync.

“Oh, no you don’t have to do that,” Asahi said, waving his hands in front of his chest. “It’s really okay. I probably didn’t need the sugar anyway.”

“No way, I’m going to do it.”

Yuu wasn’t going to take no for an answer, and luckily it wasn’t nearly as hard to convince Asahi as he thought it would be. After another minute of back and forth, they walked side by side towards the coffee shop, Yuu silently thanking whatever luck had made him crash into Asahi.

 

* * *

 

 Time passed in what felt like the blink of an eye. At first Asahi blamed it on nerves, that sitting across from a gorgeous stranger sipping coffee was just too much for his heart to handle. When he ordered a second cup, though, he almost felt at ease. By the time _that_ cup was empty he was actively smiling and chatting, a warmth spreading through him that had nothing to do with the hot drinks.

Time wasn’t moving fast because he was too nervous to keep track of it. It was moving fast because he was getting lost in Yuu.

They had a second date. Then another. One after the other, days went by. Asahi had never had a relationship go so smoothly. Months passed by where they learned all they could about each other between soft touches and more kisses than Asahi imagined possible.

Through it all Asahi held true to what he’d promised himself; he didn’t rush forward in attempt to determine if Yuu was his soulmate. He let things happen as they did, doing his best believe that if Yuu _was_ the one person for him he didn’t need the mark on his wrist to tell him that. It felt like the two of them were meant for each other, and Asahi hoped that would be enough to ease his worries over finding his soulmate.

*****

The seasons changed from summer to the harsh winds of winter. Snow had yet to fall, leaving the city streets icy and dark without the one blessing of the cold. Inside, snuggled up on the couch next to Yuu, Asahi didn’t feel any of it.

They had gone ice skating earlier that afternoon, Asahi cautiously watching from the edges of the rink as Yuu sped around with his usual confidence. When their fingers were numb, feeling not even the others laced around them, they went back to Yuu’s apartment. Now, warm and full of hot chocolate, they had the night to relax.

Asahi had his arm around Yuu, his wrist resting facing up on the side of the couch. Even now he liked to watch the lines of his mark move, though he no longer cared about it above all else. It was more a habit these days, something that was so engrained in him that he didn’t even know he was doing it.

“Asahi,” Yuu said, pulling him out of his daze. “You’ve got a tick, you know.”

“A…a what?”

Yuu shifted next to him, pressing his back against the arm of the couch and turning to look up at Asahi’s face. He was smiling, like he’d been let in on a secret that only he and Asahi now shared.

“A thing you do. When you’re nervous or scared or just kind of bored. Hey, its okay though. It’s kind of cute.”

It took Asahi a moment to put his words together. A thing that he did when he was nervous, among other times. He glanced at his wrist again out of habit, then it hit him. That was what Yuu was referring to. His cheeks flushed, embarrassed he’d been found out. He didn’t want Yuu to think he wasn’t focused on their relationship, that he would rather be watching his soul mate’s heartbeat than Yuu himself.

“I’m glad you find it cute,” he said, hiding his face in Yuu’s neck so he couldn’t see the blush. “I didn’t think you’d notice.”

“Of course I’d notice!” Yuu laughed, pushing Asahi’s face away, though not before kissing the top of his head.

When Asahi looked back up Yuu’s expression had changed. His eyes were still soft, but the smile had faded. Something about it made Asahi’s heart sink.  
  
“Are you always looking for your soul mate?”

“Yuu…” Asahi started, then paused. How was he supposed to answer? He had spent so many years waiting for his soul mate, agonizing over the time spent apart. Now he had Yuu, and he was happy. Yet still his eyes turned towards his mark in times of anxiety and fear, instead of towards Yuu.

Taking a breath, Asahi looked at Yuu, his hand reaching out to hold his.

“I was,” he said. “For a really long time. It calms me down to watch their heart rate. It kind of made me feel like as long as their heart was going everything would be okay. You know…knowing that there was someone out there that would love me, and understand me. It was, it _is_ , kind of calming.”

“And? Are you still looking?”

Yuu was watching him closely now, his eyes never straying far from his face. Asahi’s hand began to tremble, the familiar feeling of dread rising up from his stomach. He wanted to be honest with Yuu, but maybe he had said the wrong thing. He couldn’t imagine how it would feel to be dating someone who was constantly thinking of someone else.

“No, I’m not,” he answered truthfully.

“Me either,” Yuu said, finally smiling again. The sight of it, so bright and honest, washed away all of Asahi’s worries. He didn’t need to look at his wrist to calm his rapid heart; all he needed was Yuu’s lips, pressing softly now against his.

When they broke apart Yuu was sitting Asahi’s lap, his legs on either side of his knees. He was still smiling, and Asahi couldn’t help but match it. His heart felt lighter now, like a burden had been lifted. They stayed close for a moment, Yuu eventually breaking the silence by holding out his wrist to Asahi.

“Do you want to check?”

“No,” Asahi answered, shaking his head. Months ago his answer would have been different, but now he didn’t need to know. Not yet.

“I really like you, Yuu. I don’t want…I don’t want to find out that its not you.”

Yuu reached up and cupped Asahi’s chin, tilting it down so he could kiss him again. The softness of his lips was familiar to Asahi by now, but it was never any less exciting.

“I like you too, Asahi,” he said, and hearing it said out loud made Asahi’s heart jump into his throat in the most pleasant way. “I’m really happy like this. No need to change it.”

Outside the wind beat against the window, winter moving steadily on. The temperature dropped, but still Asahi didn’t feel it. He was too wrapped up in Yuu, his heart warmed by the fire that had grown there.

 

* * *

 

 Asahi woke up to the sound of birds, their calls trilling right outside the window. A nest of new born robins was visible through the budding branches of the trees, their mother busy picking worms from the thawed ground. Sun came in through the glass and Asahi followed the beams, turning to see them land on the small form next to him.

A sudden warmth filled his chest as he looked at Yuu, his head resting on Asahi’s chest. He was awake, his eyes bright and clear, focused somewhere beyond the window.

It had been nearly a year since they’d met. Over the months and seasons Asahi had fallen in love with Yuu, more deeply and completely than he ever could have thought. He looked at his wrist for comfort less and less, now to the point where weeks would go by without him even thinking about it. It was liberating, in a way. He was living life as it came, with Yuu at his side, instead of waiting for the future to find him.

As if sensing he was thinking about him, Yuu shifted next to Asahi, his legs tangling over his longs ones. His chin lifted and Asahi could see his face more clearly now, the sun reflecting off dark eyes.

“Morning,” Asahi said, voice thick from sleep. He cleared his throat with a small blush, embarrassed at the raspy sound. “Have you been up long?”

“Mmm, a bit,” Yuu answered, though Asahi should have known that already.

He never managed to wake up before Yuu, though it wasn’t for lack of trying. There were mornings he was filled with grand ambitions of making breakfast for Yuu, or kissing him awake just like he did to him. He never made it in time, and always woke up to the sight of Yuu’s smile or playful kisses. All things considered, Asahi wasn’t too upset over his failure.

He kissed the top of Yuu’s head, pushing aside some hair that had fallen between his eyes. They stayed like that for a while, Yuu with his ear to Asahi’s chest. He liked the pressure and the soft feeling of Yuu’s skin against his, and was soon lost in day dreams. When Yuu moved his arm closer to his face Asahi didn’t notice, or when he reached out to gently hold Asahi’s right wrist.

“Asahi,” Yuu said suddenly, lifting is head from Asahi’s chest and sitting up. He sounded excited, his voice almost too loud in the quiet room. “Look at my wrist.”

Asahi sat up too, resting his back against the headboard of the bed. He looked down at Yuu’s outstretched arm, eyes purposely avoiding the mark on his wrist. He’d never looked too hard at his mark before, nervous that if he did he’d see movements that were foreign to him and his own heart.

“Yuu, you know I don’t want to,” he said, gently pushing Yuu’s arm aside.

“No, Asahi, come on. Please.”

Undeterred, Yuu put his arm back in Asahi’s field of view. He moved again, this time into Asahi’s lap.  Asahi instinctively went to wrap his arms around his wait, but one had was caught by Yuu and moved to his throat where he could feel his own pulse beneath his fingers.

“Please, it’ll be okay,” Yuu repeated, smiling as he continued to hold Asahi’s hand up to his neck.

There were few times Asahi could say no to Yuu, and none of them where when he was grinning and sitting so close. He had been avoiding this exact moment for a long time, this moment where he’d know for certain if Yuu was the one whose heart beat unending on his wrist.

Maybe it was time, though. Maybe it didn’t matter if the heartbeats didn’t match; maybe it was okay to pick his own soul mate instead of trusting in some unknown force. Asahi loved Yuu. It could be as simple that, and for the first time he was confident enough in his feelings that the mark on his wrist meant nothing to him.

Asahi relaxed his body and let the fingers held to his neck count out his heart beat. He held Yuu’s wrist loosely, moving it closer to his eyes. He looked for a moment, watching the lines go from a strong, steady pace to hectic and quick. His eyes widened, realization suddenly hitting him.

“That’s-“ he started, a lump forming in his chest that stopped his words from coming out. His eyes began to fill with tears, some escaping to roll down his cheeks unchecked. “That’s my heartbeat.”

Yuu nodded, his smile brighter than the morning sun shining in through the windows. He moved Asahi’s hand from his neck to rest in between them, holding his wrist facing up. His fingers lightly traced the moving lines there, sending a shudder through Asahi’s body.

“And this is mine,” he said.

Fingers trembling, Asahi copied Yuu’s movements and traced the lines on his wrist, much smaller than his own but just as dark and permanent. He watched in wonder as they moved in time with his now rapidly beating heart.

“Yuu, that…that means,” he said, managing only a whisper.

Yuu nodded, then pressed himself close to Asahi, his lips crashing into his. Asahi swore he could feel his heartbeat through them, strong and so very familiar. It pulsed in time with his, their hearts once connected only through time and distance now connected through the meeting of their lips.

“I love you,” Yuu said when he pulled away, his breath warm on Asahi’s skin.

Asahi wiped a few tears from his cheeks and smiled as well as he could, his eyes unable to look away from Yuu’s face. The face of his soulmate. He laced the fingers of their right hands together, the two bold marks flat against each other, moving steadily on.

“I love you too. I love you, too.”

 


End file.
